Take You In Pieces
by rochesters
Summary: A one-shot about Christine Chapel's relationship with Leonard McCoy prior to Between Two Points.


**Take You In Pieces**  
By Rochesters

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

It is strange how people come into one's life and neither one of them realizes the effects they will have on one another.

Christine Chapel is standing next to her brother, Aaron, as she hears Jim Kirk's voice through the speakers. As much as she cannot stand the young captain, she admits that he has a way with words.

It is an usually warm day in San Francisco and Christine wishes that she didn't have to wear her uniform greys. She fidgets, earning a nudge and a smirk from her older brother. She raises one of her brows in reply and nudges him back.

As the captain continues to speak, Aaron pokes her in the side and she lets out a squeak.

"Knock it off," hisses their mother, shooting them one hell of a dirty look before turning her attention back to the speaker.

Aaron and Christine exchange a glance and quietly chuckle.

Despite them being adults, they have a way to create mischief. It makes Christine wish that her other brother, Trevor, wasn't on a long range mission.

Having him here would complete the trifecta and would probably get them kicked out of the event.

Christine turns her head as Aaron tries to contain his laughter. Biting her lip, she scans the crowd. It's a sea of Starfleet uniforms. Some of the faces are familiar, some are not (but they probably know her parents because _everyone_ knows Evelyn and Alexander Chapel).

Her eyes fall on a tall, dark haired man standing a row or two ahead of her. Christine tilts her head, intrigued, when she sees Nyota Uhura – who happens to be standing next to him- looking at her with a big grin plastered on her face.

Nyota waves and turns her head, nudging the woman standing next to her and whispering in her ear.

It's Carol Marcus and Christine knows it as soon as she sees her best friend's profile in the sunlight. Carol turns her head and waves.

Christine waves back and observes Nyota motioning for Christine to meet her and Carol off to the side after Kirk finishes his speech, as he's the final speaker. Carol nods her head in agreement and makes a gesture that looks like she's chugging a beverage.

Christine snorts in laughter and winks. She motions towards the reception hall and her two friends' faces light up. They begin giggling, earning the attention of the man next to them.

She recognizes him by his expressive eyebrows (which is saying something for someone who just happens to be the little sister of Trevor Chapel) and his classic good looks.

It's Dr. Leonard McCoy. He is shaking his head at Nyota and Carol, but not in annoyance. He is amused and has a ghost of a smile on his lips. His lips move and Nyota responds, pointing towards Christine.

He turns, curiosity etched into his features, and their eyes meet.

He's just as Christine remembers: gorgeous, tall with lean muscle, hazel eyes that fluidly change from green to gold to brown, lightly tanned skin with a dusting of freckles, and that heart shaped face. His ever present scowl is mysteriously missing from today's event and it's just as well. It's quite possibly the first time that she's seen him without a scowl on his face throughout their entire acquaintance.

_Okay,_ she thinks to herself as McCoy smiles at her, nodding his head, _that's a lie._

The doctor _does_ grin at times and sometimes smiles. It's rare sight to see, but when it does happen, Christine can't help thinking what a beautiful mouth he has.

She returns his smile and flushes at the attention.

As the ceremony continues, Christine finds herself catching McCoy looking at her. They exchange quick smiles, then go back to paying attention to Kirk, only to look at each other again.

It is silly and childish, but Christine can't help but feel her stomach flutter with excitement when those rich hazel eyes and full lips turn their attention to her.

* * *

In truth, there is very little that isn't beautiful about Leonard McCoy and the funniest thing is that he has no idea that half of the women (and a few of the men) are crazy over him during their Academy years.

If there are more than a few admirers on board the _Enterprise_, it wouldn't surprise Christine. Hell – even Trevor had heard of him before Christine even met the man. She can remember the conversation, mostly because Christine was shocked how quickly word got around at the Academy.

"Did you see him yet?" he asks as they are walking to the mess hall. He is in his final year at the Academy and Christine is a lowly first year.

"See who?"

Trevor raises a brow and makes a face. "The new doctor. You know - the tall, dark, and grouchy one?"

"What are you even talking about?" she asks as her brother balks.

"There is a new doctor, older than the normal first year cadet and my sources tell me that he's is G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S! All caps and exclamation point included," Trevor squeals as he wraps an arm around Christine's shoulders. "When you see him, you need to tell me. And take a picture if you can. I need something for my inspiration board."

Christine guffaws and pulls the material of her jacket around her to combat the chilly weather. "Wait," Christine says, realizing something, "how do _you_ know about him? You're in Engineering!"

Trevor waggles his brows and has a sly grin plastered all over his face. "Word travels fast, my dear little sister. _Especially_ when there's a hot guy involved."

She rolls her eyes and changes the subject as they enter the warmth of the mess hall.

The insanity of her first semester at the Academy takes over and Christine kind of forgets that McCoy even exists as she wades her way through coursework and rotations at Starfleet Medical.

Sure, she sees the gorgeous doctor during a few of her classes and hears the whispers about him, which he makes a point to ignore.

He pretty much ignores everyone with the exception of Jim Kirk. It's no matter to Christine as she has her own life and doesn't have the time to moon over some gruff doctor.

When she does have free time, it's spent with her boyfriend - until they have an explosive breakup - or her girlfriends: Gaila, an Orion whose lust for life is both endearing and infectious; the impossibly beautiful Nyota and the regal (and secret party animal) Carol Marcus.

The four young women cause their fair share of mischief and form a strong sisterhood amongst themselves. They are the girls who end up dancing on bar tops and leading sing-a-longs to twentieth century pop songs in crowded and overheated watering holes around the city.

It's them against the world and Leonard McCoy is the furthest thing from Christine's mind.

Until they are assigned to a study group during their second year. It's them and several other cadets in the medical department. Everyone seems uncomfortable – _especially_ McCoy, who looks like he wants to disappear into a hole in the ground during their first meeting.

He's older than the rest of the cadets assigned to the group by a good five or so years and he definitely doesn't want to be bothered with the concept of a study group. McCoy introduces himself in a curt drawl and aside from his name, that's all he says.

As the semester progresses, Christine and McCoy learn that their group is mostly comprised of slackers and no-shows. Instead of letting the situation irritate them (which it does to McCoy is at first), they continue to meet twice a week as initially planned.

Sometimes they meet at the library on campus or venture into the Marina (what's left of it anyway), Cow Hollow, or Russian Hill to cram for exams over food and beer.

On one such evening, Christine is early and orders them bourbon. She is absently eating a french fry and going through the notes on her PADD when McCoy shows up. His jacket is soaked and his neat hair is mussed up from the rain that's pouring outside.

"This is really what you folks call summer out here?" McCoy grumbles as he sits down across from her. He drapes his jacket over an empty seat and pulls his PADD out of his bag.

Christine shrugs. "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco," she replies.

"According to you?"

"Nope," Christine says as she looks up. "Mark Twain."

McCoy nods, seemingly impressed, and notices the tumbler of bourbon set in front of him. "Bourbon?" he asks, glancing up at her with curious eyes.

It's the first time Christine notices that his eyes are hazel-green, not the brown she assumed they were when she would momentarily glance at him.

In the grey light of the rainy evening, they are more green than brown, like the leaves on redwood trees – both dark and light, depending on the light.

"Yeah," she replies with a bright smile. "You're a man of taste and you came all the way out here in the rain. I figured I would at least make it worth your while."

McCoy arches a brow and reaches for the tumbler. He brings the glass to his lips and takes a sip, nodding with approval. "Not bad," he says. "You're all right, y'know."

Christine wrinkles her nose with a smile. "I know," she says, thus beginning their acquaintance.

* * *

She's known McCoy for almost a year when she runs into him out at a bar with Gaila and Nyota. Carol is back in England, visiting her mother for the week, but begs them to have a few drinks in her honor.

To be honest, Christine wouldn't have known he was there if it hadn't been for his friend, the illustrious Jim Kirk, spotting Nyota as soon as they walked in.

"Uhura," calls Jim from a booth with a smirk on his face. He slides across the seat in the most carelessly elegant fashion and saunters up to them with a devilish grin on his face. "Now, is that your first name or last name?"

"Dream on," Nyota snaps, pushing him out of the way with her hand. "What do you ladies want?"

Gaila is eye fucking Jim while twisting a lock of shocking red hair around her finger, who is watching Nyota lean over to order from the bartender, and Christine is shaking her head at the spectacle.

"Gaila!" Nyota hisses.

Gaila casts her roommate a look of distain. "Cosmopolitan," she purrs.

"What about you Chris?" asks Nyota.

Christine laughs at Gaila, who is now making crude gestures behind Jim's back, and replies, "Salty Dog."

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees McCoy poking his head around the corner of the booth and the look of recognition on his face. Christine gives him a little wave and to her surprise, he responds back with a wave of his own before disappearing behind the booth again.

Of course Gaila sees because she sees everything that is _remotely_ sexual. With a sly grin, she turns her head to see McCoy. "Kirk," she says, touching his shoulder. "Who's your friend?"

"Gaila," Christine hisses, shaking her head. "No!"

Gaila sticks her tongue out at her friend as Jim turns around. She flashes him one of her bubbly smiles.

"Oh that's Bones," he replies. "Why?" His blue eyes are on Christine. "You know him?"

Nyota comes over, carrying their drinks, handing one of them to Christine. "Is this caveman bothering you, Chris?"

"No," Christine laughs. She gestures to McCoy. "He and I are in a study group together."

"Oh!" Jim says, as if something clicked in that handsome head of his. "You're Christine Chapel, right?"

"Um," Christine hums, confused. "Yes…"

Jim flashes her a smile and his impossibly blue eyes are twinkling in the dim light of the bar. "Jim Kirk," he says, extending his hand.

"Don't touch him, Chris," Nyota says, grabbing Christine's hand away from his. "He hasn't had his shots."

"Hey!" Jim exclaims, insulted.

"Is he bothering you?" asks McCoy as he gets out of the booth and walks over. He is wearing civvies – a crewneck sweater over what looks like to be a grey t-shirt and a pair of jeans. His dark hair, normally neatly brushed, is messy in a way that is popular with men in the Mission, except McCoy isn't doing it on purpose. There is something about his appearance that is unsettlingly…perfect.

Christine shakes her head. "Not yet," she replies, earning a snort of disapproval from Jim.

Nyota and Gaila are staring at McCoy and Christine, their eyes wide with unspoken questions. Nyota clears her throat and gently nudges Christine.

"Oh," Christine says, looking at Nyota and motions to McCoy with her eyes. "Oh! Sorry! Gaila…Uhura…this is Dr. Leonard McCoy. He's in my study group and is the only one who bothers to show up."

"Well, you buy me bourbon," he drawls with a grin on his face. "How could I say no?"

Christine smirks. "Quite easily, knowing you."

"Do you ladies want to join us?" Jim asks suddenly. "We have a booth and plenty of room."

They end up drinking with McCoy and Jim, the latter who manages to charm Christine and asks her in a whisper if it would be alright if he commed her for a date (which he does and the date ends up being disastrous. She makes Nyota, Carol, and Gaila promise to never speak of it again).

As the three girls stumble back to Christine's empty dorm for a sleepover, Nyota brings up the doctor.

"So that's the hot doctor?" she slurs. She stumbles into Christine and giggles.

"Who?" asks Christine.

Gaila snorts as she links arms with Christine, so that she's flanked by her friends on either side. "Don't play coy, young lady," says the Orion. "You may have been flirting with Jim Kirk, but that doctor couldn't take his eyes off of you."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Christine retorts as her heel gets caught in the asphalt. She lets out a shriek and Nyota falls down, laughing.

Gaila remedies the situation quickly with half-hearted curses directed at her friends and they are walking again. "Dr. McCoy," Gaila says casually.

Christine casts her a sidelong look. "We're just…friends, I guess," she answers, unsure of how to categorize their relationship. "Anyway, he was probably looking at you, Gaila."

"Chris," Nyota sighs as she stops walking. She cups Christine's face with her cold hands and pouts. "You are so clueless and I love you."

Christine rolls her eyes as she squirms away from Nyota's hands. "Ny, you love everyone when you're drunk."

"True," Nyota agrees as she pulls Christine into a wobbly hug. "But I love you all of the time."

Gaila bursts out laughing and falls onto the grass with a thud.

It takes them another fifteen minutes to peel her inebriated ass off Marina Green and another twenty to stumble back to the dorms because while Nyota is an expert at languages, she sucks at directions.

* * *

She and McCoy remain on the fringes of friendship during the rest of their time at the Academy until the Narada incident.

Once the disaster is over and they are firmly rooted on Earth, McCoy comes by her dorm to express his condolences over Gaila.

When he comes by, Christine is by herself, having just come back from Nyota's dorm room. Carol is still there with their friend, who is sobbing over their mutual loss.

She is exhausted – emotionally, mentally, and physically – and all she wants to do is crawl under the comforter on her bed and sleep for a week. Christine is toeing off her shoes when the door chimes. Groaning, she stomps over to the door and is about to tell the person on the other side to please fuck off and come back later when she sees that it's McCoy.

And he's holding a bottle of tequila in his hand.

Before he can say hello, Christine bursts into tears and buries her face in his chest. McCoy may not be the most even tempered person, but he is compassionate when he wants to be. She feels his strong arms wrapping themselves around her, pressing her closer to his body.

He smells nice – like a bar of soap and cedar. Gaila would have been amused and the very thought of her makes Christine cry harder.

"Yeah," McCoy says softly into her hair, "tequila was a good choice." He pulls away, looking down at her, and gives her a comforting smile.

Christine smiles back and leads him into her dorm room, where they drink most of the bottle (which isn't very big) in Carol's Tower of London shot glasses.

"Gaila," Christine mumbles, "is the most infuriating person I've ever met." She takes her shot with ease and stares at the shot glass in her head. "I am going to miss that little green bitch," she deadpans.

McCoy nearly chokes on the tequila he's just ingested and swallows roughly. He wipes his mouth and snorts in laughter. "Wow," he replies. "You liked her that much?"

"I loved her like a sister," Christine says sadly. "It was hard not to love Gaila."

McCoy nods, understanding what she means.

"She was on the _Farragut_," she whispers, feeling tears sting her eyes. "Maybe if we were just a little bit quicker, Len. A millisecond faster – she would still be alive."

"Don't think like that, Chris," he says as he reaches for her hand. "Don't think about the 'what ifs'. It's not going to bring her back and it's not going to help you move on."

Christine nods. "I know," she answers. "I know." She feels her chin trembling as tears course down her cheeks. She swallows back a sob and looks away from McCoy. "Len, I need a break." "Okay," he says. "How long?"

Christine looks up at him and shrugs. "I don't know," she says. "I just keep thinking about Gaila, Dr. Puri…all of those people we lost. I just need some time."

"I understand," McCoy tells her.

She sees a sad look in his eyes and swallows roughly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he says. "Whenever you want to come back, you just tell me."

* * *

Time passes and she's in the present. In the present, Christine is trying to procure a bottle of champagne at a Starfleet Event while Nyota and Carol are snickering a few feet away. It's like they are still in the Academy.

Turning on the Chapel Charm, Christine manages to coerce someone into giving her a bottle of champagne. It's not difficult because she knows the bartender who takes in the three women and grins as he hands over the chilled bottle.

"Don't let anyone see you with that," he says.

Rather than respond, Christine takes off with Carol and Nyota in tow. They are giggling like children as they disappear from the reception and run across the quad to the Engineering Building.

The building is vacant, of course, as everyone is at the reception. Their laughter and footsteps bounce off the walls of the hallways as they attempt to find an unlocked room to duck into.

Nyota strikes gold when she discovers a lecture hall has been left unlocked. Shrieking with delight, Carol and Christine follow her inside and the three of them make themselves comfortable in the red seats.

Carol snatches the bottle, pointing it away from them as she forces the cork out of the nose. When it dislodges, the cork flies across the lecture hall, bouncing a few times before disappearing behind a desk.

"The bottle!" Nyota exclaims as the champagne spills out, foaming from being shaken.

Carol brings the bottle to her lips and chugs the excess, much to the amusement of Christine and Nyota.

"Very classy, Carol," Christine deadpans, causing her friend to laugh into the bottle.

Carol is wiping her mouth with one hand as she passes it off to Nyota. "Always my love," she replies with a grin.

The three of them sit in a triangle, gossiping and catching up whilst drinking straight from the bottle. Their voices and laughter fill the lecture hall, bringing life back to the room. It's been ages since they've been together in the same room and all their Starfleet decorum is put aside and they are just three silly girls once more.

There should be a fourth girl there, but she is gone. They drink to Gaila and her antics, knowing that she would be tickled to know that they were breaking at least ten rules and twenty regulations.

"How's the outer frontier?" asks Nyota, her speech slightly slurred, as she passes the bottle of champagne to Christine.

Christine shrugs as she takes a drink. She smacks her lips together after swallowing, feeling the champagne warm her body with bubbles and alcohol. "Honestly?" she asks, handing the bottle to Carol.

"When have any of us ever lied?" Nyota counters with a smirk.

Carol giggles. "Gaila! That little green cheek!"

They burst out laughing again at their deceased friend's memory before Nyota and Carol pressure Christine to answer the question.

"I'm so bored," she admits, propping her chin up on her knees. "I mean...it's the fucking frontier!"

Carol pouts in sympathy. "Oh sweetie! Why don't you ask for a transfer? I heard that Dr. McCoy hasn't filled the head nurse position on the _Enterprise_." She pauses for a moment and then she gets that look.

The look in which she has a brilliant idea because it's Carol and Carol is brilliant. "Chris! You should _ask_ him!"

"No," Christine replies.

"Why not?"

Christine shakes her head. "He would _never_ consider me," she says.

"Oh please!" Carol scoffs. "It would never hurt to ask. Besides, if they are letting Jim Kirk be the captain, who says you can't be the head nurse?"

"Carol no…"

"Didn't the former head nurse die?" asks Nyota, her ponytail swinging as she moves.

Carol arches a brow. "I thought she quit."

"No, I think she get sucked out of the wall on Deck 4."

"Are you sure? I'm pretty sure she quit."

"Or maybe it was Deck 8…"

Christine raises her hands and shakes her head. "Ladies! Please! Enough."

Nyota turns her brown eyes to Christine. "Speaking of the good doctor," she drawls. "I saw you two during the ceremony."

Christine feels her cheeks burning. "Be quiet."

"Absolutely not," she counters, leaning in. "Carol, I'm not sure if you saw, but our lovely Christine Chapel was practically blowing Dr. Leonard McCoy with her eyes."

"I was _not_!"

"BLOWING HIM WITH HER EYES!" Nyota counters, her voice echoing off the walls.

Christine rolls her eyes. "Nyota, you _can't_ blow someone with your eyes! Where do you even come up with this shit?"

"No!" Carol exclaims, bouncing in her seat. "Today? Tell me everything!"

Over Christine's protests, Nyota relays the entire scene. She makes it more dramatic and elicit that it really was and Carol is eating it up. By the end, Christine has the bottle of champagne in her hand and is drinking it to hide her embarrassment.

"Don't Bogart the champs!" Carol whines as she pries the bottle from Christine's fingers. "I had no idea that you had a thing for McCoy."

Nyota snorts. "I'll admit it," she says. "Leonard is _pretty_ easy on the eyes."

"If you like them tall, dark, and grumpy," Carol adds, passing the bottle to Nyota. She turns to Christine who is shaking her head at the both of them. "He does have the _steadiest hands_ on the ship, Chris."

Christine watches Carol and Nyota come undone by the comment and they are laughing so hard that she has to swipe the bottle from the latter. "You two are the most vulgar people I've ever met," Christine jokes as she begins to drink from the bottle.

"Clearly you are not well acquainted with Jim," says a man's deep drawl from the front of the lecture hall.

The three women's heads turn in a flash. They probably have identical expressions: open mouthed, shocked, and ready to make up an excuse as to why they are drinking in the Engineering Building.

"Wow," says Leonard McCoy as he steps into the room, an amused expression on his face. He looks like he's about to laugh. "Now _this_ is priceless!"

Nyota makes a face and tosses her hat at him upon his approach. "Oh shut up," she says when he tosses it back to her. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Can't you see we're having _girl time_?" Carol snaps drunkenly before she giggles with Nyota.

McCoy shakes his head at the two of them before he looks at Christine. He chuckles upon seeing that she is still holding the bottle. "I don't even want to know how you managed to sneak out of the reception with that," he laughs. He has a ghost of a grin on his lips and his eyes are sparkling.

"I just batted my lashes and turned on the charm," Christine deadpans. She offers the bottle to McCoy. "Want some? I think there is a little bit left if _Carol_ hasn't drunk it all."

Carol swats Christine's knee at the comment and the three women are chortling while McCoy watches them in amusement.

"I prefer bourbon," McCoy says politely. He straightens himself and motions to Nyota and Carol. "You're both wanted back at the reception."

Nyota and Carol grumble as they get up, wavering their feet. Carol reaches for the bottle, which Christine hands to her, and chugs the remainder of the champagne.

"You drink like a fish, Marcus!" Christine exclaims as she gets up from her seat. "A _fish_!"

Carol sucks in her cheeks and makes a fish face, much to Christine, Nyota, and McCoy's amusement. She is hopping down the stairs, Nyota chasing after her.

As Christine and McCoy linger behind them, they can hear the women's laughter echoing down the hall once more.

"Are they _always_ like that?" McCoy asks as they follow.

Christine nods fondly. "You should see them when we go out," she replies smiling.

"I'm almost afraid to," replies the doctor. He clears his throat and removes his hat, smoothing a hand over his dark hair. "How have you been, Chris?"

Christine shrugs. "Life is less adventurous in the outer frontier."

"Did you expect it to be more?"

"I guess," she admits. "When you think of the frontier it's Lewis and Clark, Magellan, Stanhope, Baré…you know, something exciting. It's just…the frontier."

McCoy nods in understanding. "Oh," he says. His fingers are tracing the brim of his hat absent mindedly. "That's disappointing."

"What can you do?" Christine replies. She turns to him. "What about you? How are you?"

He looks up at her, the setting sun's light catching his hazel eyes so that they look golden.

God he has beautiful eyes.

McCoy shrugs. "I've been good. Busy with things, but good," he says. He furrows his brow and opens his mouth, as if he's about to say something, but stops himself.

"Is everything okay?" Christine asks.

McCoy pinches his full lips together in thought and nods. "Part of the reason why I volunteered to grab Uhura and Marcus was so I could get a chance to talk to you about something," he says nervously.

"Oh?"

"Yeah," he breathes, glancing at her. He stops walking and leans against a wall, his arms crossed over his chest. "I lost my head nurse. I mean…I didn't lose her, she _quit_. Said that she didn't want to deal with all of the chaos on board a starship."

"She sounds like a party pooper," Christine teases, making McCoy chuckle.

"It wasn't a good fit," he replies diplomatically. "Anyway…I wanted to see if you were interested in taking her place."

Christine raises a brow. "_Me_?"

"Yes," he answers. His expression changes to a hopeful one and he's drawing his lower lip with his teeth, clearly anxious about her answer. "Christine, you are an asset to the ship and it was a huge loss to the medical team when you left. You are more than capable to do the job and I like working with you. You know that I am not the easiest person to work with…"

"That's an understatement," she quips, trying to put McCoy at ease.

It almost works. He flashes her a half smile before continuing. "We make a good team - a _really_ good team. If you need time to think about it, that's fine. We're not leaving for another month, but I've already submitted my request to Jim and he approved it a few days ago."

Christine tilts her head, staring at McCoy and studying him as he awaits an answer.

"Besides," he says, "it's more exciting than the outer frontier."

She laughs at this and shrugs in reply. "True."

A moment of silence passes between them and they just look at each other, wondering what the other is thinking.

It would be nice to be back with friends and familiar faces, as well as consistent heating and running water. And to work with McCoy again would be..._something_.

"So what d'ya say?" McCoy asks, leaning a little closer to her. The sunlight moves from his eyes and they are hazel-green once more, brilliant against his golden skin. "Gonna be my head nurse up there?"

In the back of her mind, Christine can hear Gaila's voice, husky and clear as a bell.

_"You know what you need to do: stop hiding, you pretty girl!" she offers over a mug of tea as they sit in the dorm room that the Orion and Nyota share. "Get out there and make your move."_

Christine grins. "I can handle that, yeah."


End file.
